Pre-RWC test matches

[Chris]

Wales gift England a try from a defensive line out terrible throw by the Welsh Hooker
HT England 21-7

[sparky]

England 21-7 up at half time. Anscombe's knee looks crocked.

[Bones]

Vunipola showing some very ordinary defensive skills for both Welsh tries.

Edit: 24-14 after North easily goes over with a pick n go.

[sparky]

@Bones Vunipola is very lazy on defence.

[sparky]

Wynn Jones with a try. Wales right back in this.

[Bones]

@sparky said in Pre-RWC test matches:

@Bones Vunipola is very lazy on defence.

Who was that he combined with to let Wales in for third?

24-19

[sparky]

England giving away lots of penalties.

[sparky]

Impressive debut for England from Lewis Ludlam. England have four Locks on the field.

[Billy Tell]

All hail our new overloads NZ.

Wales’ reign at the top lasts all of about 24 hours.

[MiketheSnow]

Well beaten by a more powerful and smarter team.

Thoroughly deserved.

Next week will be very interesting.

[E African Troll]

[sparky]

If Wales win in Cardiff next weekend they go top of the rankings even if the All Blacks beat Oz in Auckland apparently.

[Machpants]

@sparky said in Pre-RWC test matches:

If Wales win in Cardiff next weekend they go top of the rankings even if the All Blacks beat Oz in Auckland apparently.

How so? They are beating a team ranked below them at home, if iNZ win same thing. I'm not sure that's correct

Edit but it is, Wales and us both win 24-19, they go top. Weird

[booboo]

@Machpants said in Pre-RWC test matches:

@sparky said in Pre-RWC test matches:

If Wales win in Cardiff next weekend they go top of the rankings even if the All Blacks beat Oz in Auckland apparently.

How so? They are beating a team ranked below them at home, if iNZ win same thing. I'm not sure that's correct

Edit but it is, Wales and us both win 24-19, they go top. Weird

That'd be the points exchange system.

Because NZ has so many more points than Aus (91.54 v 81.91) We can't take many off them.

Whereas Wales v England at 89.96 v 86.27 means Wales can steal more points.

Basically you get more credit for beating better teams, less credit (sometimes no credit) for beating weaker teams.

Edit: just realised those points are wrong coz they haven't been updated for this weekend yet. Principle is correct though.

[Billy Tell]

Surely Australia will have narrowed the gap quite a bit.

We wait and see but no doubt Wales would get more points from being England than NZ beating Aussie.

[Rapido]

Jesus Wales, letting our passive unco weaklings remain number 1 .....

[canefan]

@Rapido said in Pre-RWC test matches:

Jesus Wales, letting our passive unco weaklings remain number 1 .....

Heavy is the crown....

[Machpants]

@Billy-Tell said in Pre-RWC test matches:

Surely Australia will have narrowed the gap quite a bit.

We wait and see but no doubt Wales would get more points from being England than NZ beating Aussie.

Yup if we (NZ and Wales) both win, they take it.

[Stargazer]

[Daffy Jaffy]

INJURY UPDATE: Wales flyhalf Gareth Anscombe is to miss the Rugby World Cup with a serious knee injury, the Welsh Rugby Union announced on Monday.

The 28-year-old New Zealand-born playmaker suffered the injury in Sunday’s 19-33 loss at Twickenham.

“Gareth Anscombe is out of Rugby World Cup contention after sustaining an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury in the match against England yesterday,” read the WRU statement on their website.

Anscombe’s absence is a blow to the team’s World Cup hopes. He was pivotal as Wales won last season’s Six Nations Grand Slam.

“The Wales squad and management would like to wish Gareth the very best with his recovery,” said the WRU statement.

Dan Biggar is the likely replacement for Anscombe in the starting line-up, the 29-year-old has more than 70 caps and came on to great effect in the Six Nations clash with England last season.

Anscombe is the second high-profile Wales casualty. Back-row forward Taulupe Faletau was ruled out earlier this month because of a collarbone injury.